Photo: Giovanni Batista Rodriguez / CC BY-SA 2.0 / Wikimedia Commons
Real Sociedad hold a unique place in Xabi Alonso's story — the club where he grew up, launched his career, and later began his managerial journey. Chelsea host the Spanish side on Saturday at Stamford Bridge in Alonso's first home game as Blues manager.
Alonso's ties to Real Sociedad predate his own birth. His father, Periko Alonso, joined the club as a player in 1977, and in 1981 — the year Xabi was born — won Sociedad's first-ever La Liga title. A second consecutive title followed the next season, the only two top-flight league wins in the club's history. When Periko's playing career ended, he moved the family back to San Sebastian, making Sociedad Xabi's local club.
The younger Alonso joined Real Sociedad's youth ranks and made his senior debut at 18. It was under Welsh coach John Toshack, however, that his career accelerated. Toshack named Alonso captain at just 19 during a relegation battle, and organised personalised training sessions around his development.
"I invested a lot of time and effort into Xabi's development, but it was worth every moment," Toshack later said. "Everyone seemed to play better when he was on the pitch."
The 2002-03 season proved the high point of Alonso's time at Sociedad. The club finished second in La Liga, two points behind champions Real Madrid, and qualified for the UEFA Champions League for the first time. Alonso contributed 12 goals from midfield and was named Best Spanish Player by newspaper Don Balon. Spain manager Inaki Saez called him up to the senior squad, saying he "sees football with an extraordinary clarity."
Sociedad supporters and the stadium announcer had taken to calling him "Don Xabi" as the club made their Champions League debut. Wins over Olympiacos and Galatasaray — Alonso scoring the winner in the latter — plus a home draw with Juventus carried them into the knockout rounds. A last-16 exit to Lyon and a 15th-place La Liga finish followed, but Alonso's performances attracted Liverpool, who edged out Real Madrid in a bidding war for his signature.
After retiring as a player, Alonso returned to San Sebastian to manage Real Sociedad B. In his second season in charge, he guided the side to promotion play-off victory, taking them into the second division for the first time since 1962. That result launched the managerial career that has now brought him to Chelsea.